Most experts agree that EPA’s fuel economy and emissions standards for cars and light trucks are the single most important action taken by any country to address climate change. The Trump Administration is now looking to weaken these standards. Here is your opportunity to tell the White House that weakening EPA’s emission standards is dangerous. Experts are calling on the faith voice to weigh in and call for care of God’s creation.

In 2012, EPA set greenhouse gas pollution standards for cars and light trucks for model years 2017 to 2025. These vehicles are second only to electric utilities in the amount of climate pollution they emit. These EPA standards control heat-trapping greenhouse gas pollution from cars, SUVs and light trucks, which account for around 20% of climate pollution in the U.S. They avoid energy waste, promote U.S. energy security and save consumers money at the pump.

A critical component of U.S. efforts to limit climate pollution and combat climate change, since 2011, these standards have resulted in significant greenhouse gas pollution reduction and gains in fuel economy.

To set these standards, EPA conducted comprehensive and extensive technical analysis. Based on that analysis, EPA found that automakers could build cars and light trucks that emit much less greenhouse gas pollution, largely by increasing the use of technologies that were already in use or were getting ready to go on the market.

Automakers could make these significant greenhouse gas pollution reductions at reasonable cost, costs that are recovered in the form of fuel savings passed onto the consumer. In fact, this decreased gas demand is one reason gas prices are lower (although the main reason is the glut of oil due to fracking). To date, most manufacturers have even slightly surpassed the standards at a time of record-setting vehicle sales. And consumers are not forced to buy cars they otherwise would not want (i.e. smaller cars, or mass electrification).

In summary:

These EPA emission standards are a critical and successful component of U.S. efforts to limit climate pollution.

These standards can be achieved by relying on the application of technologies already used in these same vehicles.

No need for extensive use of hybrids or all-electric vehicles.

Projected average per-vehicle costs are lower than EPA projected in 2012.

Consumers benefit from lower gas prices and the regulations pay for themselves in fuel cost savings.

U.S. car sales have not been hurt; in fact 2014 through 2016 were all-time record sales years.

Fuel economy and emissions standards for cars and light trucks are the single most important action taken by any country to address climate change.

These are the standards the Trump administration, under EPA Administrator Pruitt, wish to weaken.

THE FEARED ROLLBACK:EPA conducted a mid-term evaluation for model years 2022-2025 to determine whether these emission standards continued to be appropriate under the Clean Air Act. After a comprehensive technical analysis, and after considering public comments, EPA determined in January 2017 -- just before Trump took office -- that the standards remain technically feasible at reasonable cost, with the net benefits continuing to far exceed the costs of the program.So this past March, the new EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt, announced that EPA would reconsider this final determination for model years 2021-2025. This is a big step toward weakening the 2021-2025 greenhouse gas standards. SUGGESTED TALKING POINTS:Please make a strong faith-based case for caring for our planet; the health and economic impact climate change has on people around the world and here in the U.S.; our moral obligation to utilize successful tools to do all we can to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

More key points to consider:1. Weakening these standards will mean consumers will need to buy more gas, which means more money out of consumers' pockets and into the oil companies’. National consumer groups like Consumer Union/Reports and Consumer Federation of America have been among the strongest supporters of these standards for consumers.

2. Reconsidering these emission standards is a waste of time and taxpayer dollars. EPA made its January 2017 decision to continue these standards based on comprehensive and detailed analysis and after considering public comments.

3. Since 2010, EPA has revolutionized control of climate pollution in the transportation sector by setting standards that limit greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks. These greenhouse gas standards will essentially double the fuel economy of these vehicles by 2025, estimated to average in the high 30s MPG for all cars, SUVs, and light trucks (i.e. the average for the entire vehicle fleet), by 2025. This will save billions of gallons of gasoline, billions of tons of reduced greenhouse gas pollution, and save consumers billions of dollars in total avoided fuel costs .

4. These standards pay for themselves – after about 5 years, a car owner driving just 12,000 miles a year will save enough in fuel costs to cover the increased vehicle cost attributable to greenhouse gas control. A buyer using five-year financing would see positive payback in the initial year (i.e. fuel savings more than offset the increased loan amount attributable to the technology). This assumes the price of gasoline stays under $3 a gallon until 2025, which is a very conservative assumption. Higher gas prices mean quicker payback. If gas prices are back where they were a few years ago (approaching $4 a gallon), the payback period would be 3 years for cash purchasers, and even more rapid payback for buyers who finance.

5. These standards don’t require automakers to produce lots of hybrids or electric vehicles; they don’t force manufacturers to make cars smaller, or to build vehicles of any particular type. Manufacturers are meeting emission standards based on improvements to internal combustion engines – that’s what has been powering most cars and light trucks for years now. The main impact of the standards on manufacturers will be to push even wider use of existing technologies so that more cars and light trucks (and consumers) benefit.

6. Not only have these emission standards already resulted in substantial pollution reductions, automakers are having their best sales years ever. Which means there is no evidence that adding greenhouse gas pollution controls have impeded vehicle sales. If anything, they are a selling point, as shown for example, by advertising for technologies like Ford’s Eco Boost and Mazda’s SkyActiv.

7. In January 2017, EPA determined these standards remain appropriate, basing its decision on credible evidence which includes a massive Technical Assessment Report (TAR) which reflects years of peer-reviewed research and studies conducted by EPA and others; consistent with National Academy of Science recommendations; they also relied on the successful experience of the industry to date; and the costs have been lower than initially estimated by EPA.

8. According to the Department of Energy, the transportation sector is the largest source of emissions in the US. Greenhouse gas controls remain a critical component of addressing the threat of climate change. If anything, evidence points to strengthening these emission standards, not weakening them.

Faith for International Assistance (FIA) seeks to strengthen U.S. public support and funding for global health and development assistance through the voice and lens of faith. contact us at: susankbarnett@gmail.com